Flexible swimming pool cover



E.. A. BENDER 3,070,811

FLEXIBLE SWIMMING Poor. COVER 2 Sheets-Sheet;

Jan; 1, 1963 Filed June 13, 1960 Jan. l, 1963 E. A. BENDER 3,070,811

FLEXIBLE SWIMMING POOL COVER Filed June 13, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Y Y IINVENTR?" inail/ ezzdei?" ATTORNEYS 3,079,311 Patented dan. l, 1963 dice.l/9,311 FLEXiillU-E SWIMMING PUDE, COVER Emil A. Bender, RU. Een SZ,Bakersfield, Calif. Filed .lune I3, liteit, Ser. No. 35,513 S Qlairns.(El. 4-I72) rIhis invention relates to a cover for swimming pools, andin particular to a flexible cover which may be quickly and easilyapplied and removed. A pool with no cover protection during periods ofnon-use presents several difficulties of maintenance, for instance,pollution by such foreign matter as dust, pollen, leaves, insects, andeven small animals. A cover may also be saving of life in the case ofsmall children. In another aspect it will tend to inhibit heat transferand thus retain overnight a reasonable amount of the heat stored in thewater by day. Conversely the heat content may be kept down during theday if so desired.

It is an object of the invention to provide a pool cover which isflexible, easily applied, and occupies small space when not in use.

Another object is to provide a pool cover which is selfpropelled in thepool-covering operation.

More particularly it is an object to provide a cover of sheet form whichis stored in a roll when not in use.

Other objects are to provide a pool cover which is low in cost, easy ofmanufacture, facile in manipulation, low in weight yet with highstrength, small in bulk, easily installed and removed, and readilyportable.

Briefly described, the invention in a preferred embodiment will comprisean elongate spool on which is wound a flexible sheet whose outer end isanchored aiongione side of the pool, the flanges of the spool acting asrollers for carrying the sheet to pool-covering position in an unwindingoperation, as well as in the wind-up process, and being powered by amotor carried on a dolly journalled on the axis of the spool.

For a more detailed description of the invention reference is made tothe following specification, as illustrated in the drawings, in which:

FIGURE l is a plan view from above, showing the device in coveringrelation to a swimming pool;

FlGURE 2 is a sectional View along the line 2 2 of FIGURE l, on enlargedscale and broken away for the purpose of fore-shortening;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view, in top plan, of the end of the spoolcarrying the drive means, on enlarged scale, with the cover in rolled-upcondition;

FIGURE 4 is an end elevational View of the elements shown in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional View, enlarged, showing dctails along the line 55 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view, enlarged, along the line 6 6 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view, enlarged, along the line '7--7 of FIGUREl; and

FIGURE 8 is a plan view from above, similar to FIGURE l, showing amodified cover and spool, adapted to a pool of odd shape.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, there is shown, inElGURE l, a pool of rectangular outline having side walls, the topsurfaces of which are indicated by the numerals it?, ll., l2 and i3respectively. Offset a short distance from one of the longer walls, Il,of the pool is an anchoring block 14 running the length of the pool, andwhich may be secured in position by ground-engagirn7 spikes or othersuitable means. The flexible sheet lo, which serves to cover the pool,is secured at one end to the block 14 as by upholstering tacks l orother means, such as staples. The other end of sheet i6 is secured to atubular roller Ztl having end flanges 22, 24 and constituting a spoolfor storage of the sheet in a winding operation, as will appearhereinafter, and the spool being of a length such that the flanges arepositioned to roll along the top of end edges It) and l2, respectively,of the pool. Thus, when the spool is rolled away from the anchor block14, the sheet lo is progressively laid down over the pool in coveringrelation, and movement in the opposite direction progressively uncoversthe pool while winding the sheet on the spool for compact storage. Asseen at 26 in FIGURE 2, recesses 26 may be provided in the masonry ofthe pool to receive the end llanges of the spool, and thus inhibitmovement of the spool in the extended position of the sheet. Suchrecesses may also-be provided on the sheet-storage side of the pool,adjacent the block 14.

Since there is no applied tension transversely of the sheet, stiffeningmeans are provided in a series of'spaced, parallel ribs 23 (FIG. 6)extending across the sheet, and which may conveniently be contained inpockets 30. As shown the sheet consists of separate segments overlappedto form the pockets, being stitched as at 32 along each side of thepocket, but a similar result may be achieved by providing a single-piecesheet and sewing on extra, narrow Strips to provide the pockets. Thesheet may consist of vinyl coated canvas or other suitable material,`and the -rib inserts may be of wood, for instance. These willpreferably be spaced about 30 to 36 inches apart: The ribs areimportant, not only in giving rigidity to the cover when spread, butalso to keep the cover from wriukling or bundling up when being rolledonto the spool.

As seen in FIGURE 7, the ribs 2S may be of a length to terminate at 34near the pool edge or coping 36, with separate, terminal segments of rib38 inserted in the ends of the pockets, so that the ends will lie downon the pool edge rather than to extend upwardly at an angle incontinuation of the.y curve of the cover resulting from sag. Instead ofusing separate rib segments, the rib may be hinged at the pool edge, atpoint 34.

v The self-propulsion means for spreading and retrieving the cover isprovided in a dolly indicated as a whole by the numeral di). In the formshown the dolly, or drive platform comprises a main frame i2 of anglestock which may be of steel, structural aluminum, or the like. Near oneend, the horizontal member of the frame l2 carries an upright block 4dto the top of which is fixed a bushing sleeve 45 in which is journalleda shaft or spindle 48 fixed in spool flange 2d on the line of its axisand protruding outwardly. rlhe other end of the frame 42 is supported ona castor 5h which is secured to the underside of the bottom plate 52 ofa battery box whose three sides S3, 54', 55 cooperate with the verticalmember of the frame 42 to form an enclosure for a storage battery 56Awhich furnishes the motive power.

Driving is accomplished by a direct-current motor 58 mounted on theframe 42 and having an output shaft 66 with a spur gear 62 meshing witha larger gear 64 which is keyed to spool shaft 48, or which may be fixedto spool flange 24, the important point being that it revolve with thespool as one unit.

The operation of the device, in its main aspects, should now beapparent. Assuming the cover to be in stored condition, that is, rolledup on the spool, a reversing switch 66 on the carriage il@ is actuatedto move the spool away from the anchor block 3.4i. In traversing thepool, the diameter of the roll of cloth will at any instant be less thanthe diameter of the ground-engaging spool flanges which provide thetraction. As a result the payout of the cover lags the normal rate ofadvance or the flange rollers. I-lowever, this is readily compensated byslippage between the ange rollers and the traction surface. Rolling upof the cover, however, does not involve such inherent compensation, andin this operation the cover lags behind, as shown by the looped portion68 in FIGURES 4 and 5. Therefore, means are provided for taking up thisslack after the spool has reached the anchor block 14. Thus, each endface of the block 14 has secured thereto an upwardly opening section ofchannel 70, the upright walls 71, 72 of which have a pair or" alignedbores freely journalling the protruding, axial, end pins i4 of a roller76. As seen in FIGURES 3, 4 and 5 the traction rol er langes Z4 of thespool enter the channels 76 at the end of the roll-up journey and moveinto contact with the free rollers 76, respectively. Any elort towardfurther movement of translation of the spool will tend to carry tbeflanges onto the rollers and thus lift them out or tractive engagementwith the ground. As a result, the spool ilanges are free to rotatewithout advancing and the slack is consequently taken up.

In the case of pools of irregular shape, such as shown in FIGURE 8 andindicated by the numeral 78, the area of the cover may be minimized byproviding a spool ange 80 on one end of the spool which is smaller indiameter than the flange 82 on the other end. The effective rollingsurface is thus frusto-conical, and in the covering operation the sheetdevelops in a fan-like pattern providing an economy of surface. In thisform, the rib pockets 30 are divergently disposed to comport with theover-all pattern and to be received on the spool, in each case, properlyaligned in the length direction thereof.

While certain preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown anddescribed, it will be understood that the same is not limited thereby,since various modications and substitutions will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art, in the light of this disclosure, and no limita tionshould therefore apply except as shall be properly inferred from thespirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A covering device for swimming pools and the like, comprising anelongate spool having a roll-form core and concentric circular endilanges; a flexible cover of sheet form, windable on said core, securedthereon, along one of its ends, and along its other end to an elongateblock constituting a ground-anchoring means, stillening ribs carried bysaid cover transversely thereof and rollable with the cover on the core,a carriage articulated to one of said flanges on the axis of said spool,a gear on said one of said tlanges concentric with the axis of the spooland of less diameter than said flange, drive means on the carriagehaving a gear meshing with the firstmentioned gear, a rolling,ground-support means on said carriage, parallel tracks, one on each endof said block positioned to receive the respective flanges, and freelyjournalled rollers across said tracks adjacent the ends of said blockand in the path of said ilanges.

2. A device as in claim 1, said cover having a fan shape, said ribsbeing divergently arranged to comport with said fan shape, and saidflanges being of dierent diameter, the smaller wheel being located onthe end of the spool adjacent the shorter side of said cover.

3. A covering device for swimming pools and the like, comprising anelongate spool having a roll-form core and circular end flanges, aflexible cover of sheet form windable thereon secured along one of itsends on said core, and with its other end adapted for ground anchorage,stillening ribs carried by said cover transversely thereof and Windablewith said cover on said core, a carriage articulated to one of saidilanges on the axis of said spool, a gear on said one of said llangesconcentric with the axis of the spool and of less diameter than saidflange, drive means on the carriage having a gear meshing with therst-mentioned gear, and rolling, ground-support means on said carriage.

4. A device as in claim 3, said cover being fan-shaped, said ribs beingdivergently arranged to comport with said fan shape, and said flangesbeing of different diameter, the smaller wheel being located on the endof the spool adjacent the shorter side of said cover.

5. A covering device for swimming pools and the like, comprising anelongate spool having a roll-form core and circular end flanges, allexible cove1 of sheet form secured at one of its ends to said core,its other end being adapted for ground anchorage, stilening ribs carriedby Vsaid cover, transversely thereof, said cover and ribs being Windableupon said core, a carriage articulated to one of said flanges on theaxis of said spool, rolling, ground support means on said carriage,power means on the carriage, and a driving connection between said powermeans and said spool to rotate the spool.

6. A device as in claim 5, said ribs each comprising a main, centralsegment and two shorter, separate segments at its ends.

7. In a covering device for swimming pools and the like, in combination,a spool, having end flanges fixed thereto, a flexible cover attached tosaid spool for winding thereon, a rigid bar block attached to the outerend of said sheet, and means on said bar block journalling a pair offree rollers for rotation on an axis parallel to said bar block, eachroller located across the path of travel of one of the respectivellanges of said spool.

8. A device as in claim 7, said cover being generally fan-shaped inoutline, and said anges being of different diameter, the smaller Wheelbeing located on the end of the spool adjacent the shorter side of saidcover.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. A COVERING DEVICE FOR SWIMMING POOLS AND THE LIKE, COMPRISING ANELONGATE SPOOL HAVING A ROLL-FORM CORE AND CONCENTRIC CIRCULAR ENDFLANGES, A FLEXIBLE COVER OF SHEET FORM, WINDABLE ON SAID CORE, SECUREDTHEREON, ALONG ONE OF ITS ENDS, AND ALONG ITS OTHER END TO AN ELONGATEBLOCK CONSTITUTING A GROUND-ANCHORING MEANS, STIFFENING RIBS CARRIED BYSAID COVER TRANSVERSELY THEREOF AND TO ONE OF SAID FLANGES ON THE AXISOF SAID SPOOL, A GEAR ON SAID ONE OF SAID FLANGES CONCENTRIC WITH THEAXIS OF THE SPOOL AND OF LESS DIAMETER THAN SAID FLANGE, DRIVE MEANS ONTHE CARRIAGE HAVING A GEAR MESHING WITH THE FIRSTMENTIONED GEAR, AROLLING, GROUND-SUPPORT MEANS ON SAID